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Concerned resident Belal Awkal plans clean up in his North End neighborhood

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04/27/13 Springfield- Republican Photo by Mark M.Murray - Taking part in the Keep Springfield Beautiful clean up Saturday, from left to right, Jennifer Kinsman, Lydia Kinsman, Luz Rivera, Chris Montemayor, and Nick Kinsman, they are cleaning up a lot on Spruce Street in the area that was hit by the tornado in 2011.
(Mark M.Murray)

SPRINGFIELD — Holyoke Community College student and long-time Springfield resident Belal Awkal, is tired of seeing trash strewn across his street.

After participating in Keep Springfield Beautiful's annual clean-up this year he was inspired to organize his own clean-up concentrated in the North End. With the help of his political science professor Brian Kapinos, Awkal has recruited a dozen people to come out and spend the morning of May 31 cleaning.

He is hoping more people, especially those in the neighborhood, will come out and lend a hand to the project he named "Clean My City."

"I was involved with the major clean-up on May 3, but there is still so much more to do. I see this as a follow-up and I'm hoping if it works that it will have a ripple effect and other people will do clean-ups in their communities as well," he said.

After calling the city last year and creating a ticket to have an entire trench full of trash that runs along his street cleared, Awkal was disappointed with the lack of response.

"The trash is still there. I feel like the North End has been abandoned long enough and I just decided to take ownership of my community and my neighborhood," he said.

Awkal said he hopes a cleaner neighborhood will promote a safer environment for residents.

"I see kids running around and playing outside and there is trash everywhere," he said.

Awkal has contacted local city councilors Melvin Edwards and Zaida Luna and hopes they will attend.

He will be providing trash bags, but encouraged people to bring their own as well as gloves. The clean up will be held from 8 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will gather outside Medina's Market at 2705 Main St.

After the clean-up there will be a barbeque at Awkal's home on Jefferson Street.